"Just a Dream" is a song performed by American recording artist Nelly, released as the lead single from his 2010 album 5.0. The song was written by Mitch J, Nelly, Rico Love, Jim Jonsin and Frank Romano with Jonsin and Love producing the song.[1] The song was released from August 16, 2010 to iTunes Stores around the world for digital download.[2] It was released alongside with the promotional single, "Tippin' In da Club".[3] On October 6, 2010 the song was certified triple platinum by the RIAA.[4]

According to Nelly, the string-heavy number almost didn't make it to him. He and Jim Jonsin were working on music together for 5.0, and when the producer played beats for the rapper. "Just a Dream" appeared to be just an afterthought, Nelly scored the hit when he stopped Jonsin and asked him to replay the beat that would become his first single from the album, "He was playing me a few of his beats and he played that beat, but he kind of moved on to the [next] beat pretty quick," Nelly explained, "I don't know if he thought I wouldn't like that one. [He laughs.] I was like, Wait a minute, what's that? 'Cause I love guitars, I'm a really big fan of guitars. When I heard it, I instantly was attracted to it. I got to listening and the more I listened to it, I got a vision and a feel for it."[5]

Nelly said, "I think that the way the whole song plays out, with the beat and the lyrics, I think it comes together in the sense of its almost a timeless song".[6]

Many are speculating "Just a Dream", which is becoming a very big radio hit, is actually about Ashanti, He responds in an interview for "That Grape Juice", "No it's not about Ashanti. It's just a song that I and my man [Rico] came up with. It's a song that just relatable on all levels – rich, poor, black, white, child, adult - whatever level it is. If [thinking it’s about Ashanti] is what helps people to go out and support it then so be it (giggles)".[7]

"Just a Dream" made its first chart appearance, debuting on the US Billboard Hot 100 at number twelve and peaking at number three in its eighth week. The song also debuted at number thirty-eight on Billboard's Pop Songs chart,[8] and debuted at number eight on the BillboardDigital Songs chart, selling 135,000 downloads in its first week.[9][10] "Just a Dream" is Nelly's highest charting song since his 2005 single "Grillz". and debuted at number twenty-two on the BillboardRap Songs. As of November 2013, the song has sold over 4 million downloads in the United States.[11]

Nelly shot the music video to "Just a Dream" on August 26, 2010 at Playa del Rey, Los Angeles.[15][16][17] The director of the video is Sanji.[18] Nelly goes sky high in a dramatic black-and-white video, sitting in his car while floating high above the ocean. Nelly looks down on his girl—Katerina Graham—as she runs along the shore. He later he comes down to ground to take a trip to the club. While searching for his love, he mistakes a girl walking on the street—actress Bianca Siavoshy—for his girlfriend. His dream home, a wedding ring, and his car, items that had been floating above the beach, burst into flames, their ashes falling to the shore below. There are several shots of one of Nelly's eyes shattering as if made of glass.